


One Man's Trash

by GAvillain



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Toy Story (Movies)
Genre: College financial struggles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Fic includes misc. Disney and Pixar characters as supporting players, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Language, M/M, Oddly perceptive garbage man, Post-Toy Story 3, Set in 2011
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2018-11-18 14:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11292315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GAvillain/pseuds/GAvillain
Summary: For most people, being seen as a failure is the ultimate symbol of defeat; for Sid, it's a badge of honor. He's perfectly content being exactly what everyone else doesn't want him to be. However, when he crosses paths with Andy Davis one evening, Sid finds that maybe the world doesn't have to be quite as miserable as he thought. Set a school year after Toy Story 3. Chapters after the first feature cameos and guest appearances by characters from other Disney and Pixar properties that are set in the modern day with limited or non-existent fantastical elements.





	1. Earth to Andy

Sid was killing time playing Black Hole, the Pizza Planet equivalent of Skee-Ball with an outer space theme. The whole place had seen better days. Back when Sid was a kid, Pizza Planet was the "it" place for kids, but the years hadn't been especially kind to the restaurant. Its theme was somehow too nineties to stay relevant. It still got enough business to stay open, but usually the arcade was something of a ghost town.

"Hey, aren't you a little old to be playing that?" Sid looked down to see some snot-nosed mouthy six year old with a look of stubborn entitlement written all over his face staring up at him as if there weren't three other Black Hole lanes to choose from.

"Buzz off kid," Sid said.

"Moooooooooom!" the kid darted off, whining.

Sid sighed to himself in exasperation; he didn't even tell the brat " _fuck_ off" this time. He turned his hat around so that the little shit might not recognize him and walked off. No way he was dealing with some bitchy soccer mom with an "I'd like to speak to your manager" haircut. Sid already had to deal with their disapproving, arrogant scowls when he picked up their trash. People like that wore condescension on their sleeves, as if their garbage didn't tell him all of the fucked up shit they got up to behind closed doors.

As he rounded the corner back into the dining area, one of the restaurant's patrons caught his eye. Sid would recognize the floppy brown hair and lanky build anywhere. Andy Davis, Sid's former next door neighbor and high school classmate, was sitting there alone with a soda and barely touched slice of pepperoni looking absolutely miserable. After Andy and his family moved, Sid barely ever interacted with him in school. Still, as much he hated to admit that he cared about anything, Sid hated to see people upset and alone even more. He couldn't just walk over there unprompted without an excuse, though.

The rocket shaped claw-machine caught Sid's eye as if it were the magical solution to all of his problems. The game was currently stocked with little plush toys based on the new _Thor_ movie, which apparently counted as sci-fi enough for Pizza Planet's theme. Perfect. Andy was wearing a Marvel t-shirt; there was his ice breaker. Sid dug out a few loose quarters from his pocket and put them into the machine. He'd always been pretty good at this game and was able to grab up a little Loki pretty easily. With the prize in hand, Sid made his way over to Andy's table.

"Hey, uh, Andy, right?" Sid said, suddenly becoming very aware of how stupid this plan probably was.

"Oh, hey Sid," Andy replied, looking a bit confused.

"I, uh, I was playing the, y'know, and I won this thing. I don't really keep these things, but, uh, I saw your shirt and thought you might like it? Maybe?"

Andy seemed to smile at that. "Yeah, sure, Loki's one of my favorite villains."

"Is this seat taken?" Sid asked.

Andy gestured that Sid was welcome to the seat, so he slid into the spot across from Andy.

"Yeah, I saw that _Thor_ movie," Sid said. "It was pretty good. I hear they're gonna have him and Iron Man meet in the sequel."

"Yeah, them, Hulk, Captain America, and a few others," Andy replied. "They're going to form The Avengers. You know that guy with the bow and arrow who appeared for like ten seconds? He's going to be a main character."

"Nice, nice," Sid nodded, not really sure what he could add to keep the conversation going. He liked the movies, but he'd never read any of the comic books. Besides, he hadn't come over just to talk about movies. "You been doing okay since graduation?"

"Yeah, I guess so. What about you?"

"I'm exactly the same as I always have been," Sid replied. He could tell Andy's reply wasn't completely sincere. There was definitely something bothering him, but Andy didn't seem particularly keen on sharing without a bit more prompting. Sid figured he had to make the first move here.

"Look, Andy, uh, I know it's none of my business, but I just saw you looking pretty miserable, and maybe you're fine and I just read the situation wrong, but... I just... I know it sucks to be alone when you feel like shit."

Sid felt a bit surprised by himself at the words that came out of his mouth. He meant every word, but he couldn't fully explain why he was doing any of this. After all, he barely knew Andy, and he wasn't typically someone invested in dealing with other people's crap. Usually their bullshit meant about as much to him as the garbage they threw out. But Andy was different. Andy was someone who had always been on the periphery of Sid's life, and for reasons he couldn't quite put into words, Sid legitimately wanted to get to know him.

To Sid's relief, Andy seemed to take it pretty well. "Am I that transparent? It's nothing, just a lot on my mind is all."

Andy paused for a second, and Sid began to think that that was to be the end of their conversation. However, much to Sid's surprise, Andy started back up.

"It's just that last year I was so excited about starting at USC," Andy said, "but then I got there and I couldn't make any friends. I mean, I'm an introvert, but it was lonely anyway. And now my financial aid won't cover me to go there next year, so I can't even afford it. I just... I feel like a failure."

"I'm sorry, man," Sid replied. "That fucking sucks."

College bullshit was outside of Sid's area of expertise. He'd never had any college aspirations; hell, he never even finished high school. Still, for someone as mainstream as Andy, that had to sting pretty fucking hard. And if there was any feeling Sid knew well, it was feeling like a failure. Between his dad saying he'd never amount to shit and the judgmental assholes who looked down on him for his profession, "failure" was practically a badge of honor he'd learned to wear on his sleeve.

"Hey, look, take it from a guy who picks up trash for a living," Sid said, "you're only a failure if you see yourself that way. You tried something, it didn't work out, you lived life. You're a smart guy; you'll land on your feet."

"Garbage man and life coach. You're just full of surprises," Andy laughed.

"Pretty sure I took it from some Megadork song," Sid said with a smirk. "But seriously, you're gonna kick ass out there."

Andy nodded. "Thank you, Sid. I mean that."

"No prob. Hey, look."

Sid pulled out a napkin from the dispenser and a pen from his pocket, and he wrote down his number.

"If you need anything, you can call or text me or whatever."

"For sure, thanks," Andy replied with a smile as he took the napkin. "So, uh, are you-"

"Mommy! That's the guy!" the shrill voice of the child from earlier screeched.

Sid looked up to see a woman stomping his way who looked quintessentially like the type of obnoxious soccer mom that he knew she would.

"I gotta go," Sid said to Andy before slipping out of the booth and darting out the door.

Sid made his way back home to the same old dreary suburban house with the overgrown lawn and broken fence that he'd always been stuck in. The house felt like his damnation, a place where he was doomed to spend eternity, forced to relive all of the bad memories. His dad, as usual, was passed out in front of the television, an empty bottle of vodka on the floor. Sid sighed to himself at the miserable routine he'd become so accustomed to and turned off the television. He slipped upstairs into his room and flopped down on his bed. A cheerful "bring" that seemed completely anachronistic to the evening's recent turn grabbed Sid's attention. He glanced at his phone to see a new text from an unknown number.

"Thanks again for everything earlier. You made me feel a lot better :) this is Andy btw"

Sid smiled at the message. Maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of something that didn't completely suck.


	2. A Pain in the Trash

"Well, do I look ready to rock?" Andy asked, stepping out of the dressing room decked in an all black ensemble of skinny jeans, combat boots, a skin tight t-shirt decorated with a skeletal symbol, and a leather jacket with spikes protruding from the shoulders.

Christopher "Chris" Robin, Andy's best friend, looked him over. Chris and Andy met back in elementary school when Andy stood up to some bullies picking on Chris over his attachment to a stuffed bear. They'd been inseparable ever since. Andy always felt a sort of kinship with Chris, as if they were cut from the same cloth.

"How should I know?" Chris replied after a second. "I have absolutely no point of reference for what you should wear to a heavy metal bar. You just look like you're dressed for Halloween to me."

Andy sighed. "C'mon, I want to make a good impression. I don't want to get there and then stick out like a sore thumb."

"You _could_ just ask Sid, you know," Chris said casually as if it were that simple.

"No way!" Andy replied as he slipped back into the dressing room. "I don't want to look like a dork who's completely clueless about the one thing Sid seems to actually be interested in."

"Which technically you are."

"Thanks, Chris, your moral support is top tier," Andy said as he emerged from the dressing room dressed again in his normal clothes. "That stuff was too expensive anyway. I'll just wear a solid black t-shirt and jeans and hope for the best."

Chris shrugged, and the two friends made their way out of the store. Andy noticed the guy behind the register shooting them a dirty look for not buying anything, which almost guilted him into buying a wristband or something. Chris, however, was oblivious and was already outside. Andy darted after him.

"So are you two finally calling this one a date?" Chris asked when Andy caught up.

"Huh? What? No! I mean, I dunno," Andy sputtered.

Andy and Sid had been spending a lot of time together over the past month since that evening at Pizza Planet. They hadn't labeled it as anything beyond just friends hanging out, and Andy wasn't even sure if Sid was gay or bi or whatever. It just never seemed to come up in conversation. They were hanging out, having a good time, and they liked to be around each other. That was all they really needed to know.

"Are you not attracted to him?" Chris asked

"I mean... yeah, he's cute," Andy answered. "But I don't know if he'd be interested in me like that."

"You could always just ask him."

"What is this world you live in where you can just ask for everything?"

"Apparently a more sensible one."

Andy had to admire how straightforward Chris was. It was almost comforting how simple he made things out to be.

"Look, Andy, I'm serious," Chris continued. "As someone who knows you pretty well, I can tell you really want a shot with this guy. If you want it that much, you've got to go after it."

"But what if he takes it the wrong way and then it ruins our friendship?" Andy asked, suddenly trying to push all thoughts of romance aside in order to preserve the budding friendship.

"If _that_ ruins your friendship, then it probably isn't a friendship worth worrying about," Chris replied candidly.

That fact that Chris was right didn't make facing that hypothetical any easier.

"God," Andy said, feeling his heart rate speed up, "just thinking about it is making me nervous."

"Well, just remember," Chris began, "you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and-"

"And smarter than you think," Andy interrupted the familiar phrase. "Yeah, I know. I've only heard _that_ one like a zillion times."

Chris laughed. "Well, you can't top a classic."

* * *

Andy and Sid made their way from the club where Sid's band had been playing and walked over into the park a few blocks away. The rest of the band stayed back at the club, but Sid split after their gig was done to hang out with Andy. Andy was secretly relieved that they weren't going to stay there. Just as he'd predicted, he felt like he stood out like a sore thumb. The park and the night air was much more Andy's speed. It had been raining all evening, so the little bit of fog and mist hanging in the air was making the street lamps and the distant city lights blur in a way that just felt romantic.

"Why did you guys decide on 'Magnausea'?" Andy asked with a laugh.

"Hey, don't look at me!" Sid replied. "I wanted to call us 'Pain in the Trash', but I got outvoted. 'Magnausea' was Derek's idea. He said 'Pain in the Trash' was the worst pun he'd ever heard. What the fuck does he know? He's Canadian!"

"I'm pretty sure they _do_ have puns in Canada," Andy replied, which earned a playful shove from Sid. "Though what's up with the logo? The weird baby head with spider legs?"

"I designed it, actually," Sid boasted, looking way too proud of himself.

"How the Hell did you come up with that?"

"It was based on some old toy I put together when I was a kid. I used to take things apart and combine their parts together like I was Dr. Frankenstein or something."

Andy remembered seeing some of Sid's weird creations laying around the backyard. They always kind of freaked him out when he was younger. Andy was always so meticulous and gentle with his toys as if they were alive. He'd have felt way too guilty if he dismembered them the way Sid used to, though even Andy knew it was kind of silly to feel guilty over an inanimate object.

"Sounds like you've got a bit of a twisted side," Andy replied. "Gotta watch myself around you."

"I'm harmless, I promise," Sid laughed.

Andy smiled in return. He never doubted that for a second. Most people would take one look at Sid and brand him as a loser, but Andy knew better. Andy could see how perceptive and honest Sid was, and those qualities made Sid one of the most refreshing guys to be around. There was no one Andy would rather be with right now. That simple fact made the truth plain to Andy: he was falling for Sid. He contemplated ignoring that realization and just enjoying the rest of the night, but then he thought back to his conversation with Chris earlier.

_"You could always just ask him,"_ echoed in Andy's head. _"If you want it that much, you've got to go after it."_

Maybe things could just be that simple? Andy's heart was racing in anticipation, and his hands were starting to get sweaty. Still, Sid had the guts to approach Andy out of the blue last month at Pizza Planet to start things. It was only fair that Andy make the first move with this.

"Hey, Sid, can I ask you something that might be kinda weird?"

"Yeah, of course, anything."

"I've really enjoyed getting to know you and hanging out these past few weeks. Life has been crazy, but you've made me feel so much better. And I really appreciate that. But I just... I dunno, I guess... I'm just going to come out and ask it: are you, y'know, _interested_ in me?"

Sid's little laugh following the question made Andy briefly fear the worst.

"Have I been that subtle?" Sid asked. "I thought I was obvious as fuck."

"Okay, but I don't like to assume," Andy said quickly, turning bright pink.

"That shade your face is turning right now is kind of adorable," Sid replied with a smirk.

"Oh shut up," Andy gave Sid a gentle shove. "But seriously? You are? Not joking?"

"Yeah, I am. Is that... okay?"

It was better than "okay." A giant weight felt like it was lifted off of Andy's shoulders by him saying that. Knowing that his feelings were reciprocated was the best feeling in the world for him. He couldn't wipe the smile from his face if he tried. Something in him felt empowered, and he knew what he wanted to do next.

"How's this for an answer?" Andy asked.

Andy leaned his face in closer to Sid's, and Sid, realizing what was coming, moved into the kiss to meet Andy. As their lips came together, Andy wrapped his arms around Sid's waist. Sid rested one hand on the small of Andy's back and the other on the side of his companion's face. With the misty night blurring the street lights, the entire ambience was just perfect. Nothing else existed or even mattered to Andy outside of that one perfect moment. As the two pulled apart, they flashed one another a smile.

"I think I'm going to need you to answer the question a few more times," Sid said with a smirk.

Andy laughed. "Jerk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christopher Robin is, of course, the boy from the Winnie the Pooh franchise. I intended for him to be the one from The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and The Book of Pooh because he's American in those shows and would be around Andy's age, but I wanted to leave that vague enough to where you can read him as whichever Christopher Robin you prefer. Sid's band mate Derek is another Disney allusion. Imaginary brownie points to anyone who can guess what that's referencing with looking it up.


	3. Meet the Davises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. It's been kind of giving me trouble figuring out how to get it to work, but I think I finally got it to work. Hope you enjoy.

Sid lamented the fresh hole in his good pair of work gloves. Did people not read the whole "bagged wastes only" thing or did they just not give a fuck? Sid figured it was the latter. After all, the people of suburbia were so arrogant and thoughtless that they probably didn't devote one millisecond to consider if their choices made somebody else's life harder. Some dumbass dumped a bunch of used hypodermic needles into the trash without a bag, and, of course, one of them snagged his glove and tore a nice big hole right on the thumb. Sid was thankful that it didn't prick him with whatever disgustingness was on it, but it would still be an inconvenience to avoid the torn spot for the rest of the day and to go spend money on a new pair of gloves.

Sid was busy channeling his frustration over his gloves into writing a new song for Magnausea when he noticed that they'd arrived at Andy's house. It had been a couple weeks since they started dating, and he still wasn't quite used to having his boyfriend's house on his route. Sid picked up the bags and tossed them as far back in the truck as he could so that he wouldn't accidentally see what was inside of them. People's trash was practically a biography on everything they didn't want other people to know, and Sid figured that accidentally finding out Andy's family's dirty secrets would make things super awkward if he ever met them.

"Wait a second!" a voice called out before Sid could hop back on the truck for the next stop.

Sid looked up to see Andy's mom speed walking down the driveway with another bag of trash in hand. He remembered seeing her years ago when she was his next door neighbor. For some reason, he always remembered her as a brunette, not a blonde.

"Sorry, my daughter forgot it was garbage day. Could you take this too?" Andy's mom said.

"Uh, yeah, of- of course," Sid replied, not sure if he should say something more to his boyfriend's mother in this situation.

"Thank you, have a nice day," she said with a smile before walking off.

So she didn't recognize him. Then again, why would she? Last time she'd have seen him, he was a skinny twerp with braces and a buzz cut. Though that probably meant that Andy hadn't told her that he was dating the garbage man either. Right. Because that would go over _so_ well. Sid threw the bag into the back of the truck and went back about his business.

By the time Sid got home, his dad was already in front of the TV, drinking what was probably his fifth beer of the day. All things considered, Sid was almost relieved that he was sticking to beer this evening.

"Don't leave your work clothes sitting out in the laundry," his father growled. "They smell like shit and piss, stinking up the whole goddamn house."

"Heh," Sid scoffed maybe a bit too loudly.

As if the old man could smell anything over the stench of vodka that seemed to linger in the air or the musty odor that permanently radiated from the carpet. What a fucking joke. Sid's mind drifted back to Andy's mom earlier. Oh yeah, she'd be so impressed by her college student son's boyfriend: her alcoholic ex-neighbor's son whose life ambitions lead him to being a garbage man. Who the Hell did he think he was fooling?

Sid stopped his train of thought. He'd never been so down on himself before. He'd always believed that if he wore the 'failure' as a badge of honor, nothing could ever hurt him. The opinions of suburban hypocrites never mattered to him before. Except now, because of Andy, maybe they did. The implication made Sid feel sick.

* * *

The first few times Andy invited Sid over for dinner, Sid made sure he conveniently had band rehearsal that night. He hated lying to Andy, so he always made sure that the band really did get together and rehearse on the nights Sid told him they were. However, it was getting to a point where the others were getting a little annoyed at the extra practice sessions that Sid was calling for, and Sid knew that he only had so much mileage on that excuse before Andy started to catch on.

Eventually it happened: the inevitable invitation to dinner at Andy's house on a night where Sid couldn't put together band practice and couldn't bring himself to bullshit an excuse to his boyfriend. So he said yes. Sid figured that he'd lived a good twenty years; his life ending now wasn't the worst that could happen. Still, all hyperbole aside, he was dreading this dinner, and when it came to be the afternoon beforehand, a big sickening knot perpetually twisted in his gut.

Sid could practically see it now: Andy's mom would recognize him as the guy who picked up her trash. Her expression would slowly morph to that fake half-smile suburban moms made when they wanted to somewhat hide their disdain, and then afterwards she'd voice her concerns to Andy and that would be that. Taken out with the trash. Almost poetic or something.

Sid kicked a loose rock on the sidewalk, as he wandered lost in thought. The sound of the rock hitting something wooden pulled him back to the real world. Sid glanced up to see that it had hit a "Walk Ins Welcome" sign with an arrow pointing to the nearest GreatClips. He ran his fingers through his hair. As much as Sid liked his rockstar long hair, he liked Andy more, and maybe looking the part of the perfect boyfriend was half the battle....

* * *

As Sid pulled up to the Davises' house, he glanced up at the mirror. With his short basic-white-guy haircut, clean shaven face, and new black button up shirt, Sid hardly recognized himself. He actually looked like an ordinary respectable guy. What a fucking joke. Still, there was something almost tantalizing about the prospect of Andy seeing him like this. It was like unveiling a really cool Halloween costume for the very first time.

Sid walked up to the front door and rang the bell. His palms were drenched in sweat and his heart was practically keeping time for a cover of "Through the Fire and the Flames" by DragonForce. Sid simultaneously felt like he was about to run a marathon and melt into a puddle. Andy was the one who opened the door. When he laid eyes on Sid, first he seemed taken aback, then he squinted as if to make sure he wasn't making a mistake, and then finally he let out a little chuckle.

"Surprise!" Sid said with a goofy grin.

"What happened here?" Andy asked as he ran his fingers over Sid's hair. "Rest in peace floof."

"I figured it was time to change it up a bit," Sid shrugged.

"You are lucky you look cute either way," Andy said as he gave Sid a quick kiss.

Sid wished the evening could just stop there. Sort of a 'Yay! You made the effort, now you're free to go' kind of deal, but no such luck. Andy led Sid into the bowels of the altogether too clean slice of suburbia. Pictures of Andy, his sister, and his mother littered the walls of the hallways. No pictures of daddy dearest were up anywhere. Sid vaguely remembered seeing Andy's dad a couple times back when they lived next door, but the man seemed to just up and vanish one day. That particular question was one he hadn't broached with Andy yet, and seeing as that would probably lead to all sorts of questions about his own dad, Sid was partially thankful that it hadn't come up.

Andy led Sid into the kitchen. Andy's mom was pulling a pan of lasagna out of the oven and Molly was setting the table.

"I have successfully not burned the lasagna," Andy's mom announced. "So I'd say we're off to a better start than usual."

"Hey Mrs. Davis," Sid said with a wave.

"Sid! It's so good to put a face to the name," she replied with a smile. "I think everything's ready to go. Drinks are out in the garage fridge. Andy'll show you. Help yourself; we've got sodas, waters, tea, you name it."

Sid thanked her, and within a few minutes, all four of them were sitting together around the dinner table. Despite what Mrs. Davis's celebration of the lasagna not being burnt might lead one to believe, it was actually pretty tasty. Sid's dad never cooked and he never learned how so frozen dinners and fast food were pretty much the entirety of his diet. Having homemade dinners was something Sid never realized he missed out on until that moment. Chef Gusteau frozen dinners were all well and good, but there was just something warm and personal about a home cooked meal.

"This is fantastic, Mrs. Davis," Sid said. Yeah, he knew that was the clichéd polite thing to say, but he meant it deeply and sincerely.

"Thank you Sid," Andy's mom replied. "I'm not much of a cook since I usually work into the evenings, but it's nice to hear I can still make something edible."

"Just be glad she went with lasagna and not chili," Molly said.

Andy grimaced. "Ugh, Molls, why did you have to remind me. I'm having war flashbacks to that chili."

"It wasn't _that_ bad!" Andy's mom insisted.

"Mom, I love you, but, like, there were beans on the ceiling," Molly said, prompting a laugh from Sid.

"Oh you two, stop," Andy's mom pleaded. "You're going to make Sid think I'm some disaster master."

Andy shot Sid a look that seemed to suggest that she kind of was.

"So, Sid," Andy's mom said, starting up the dreaded interrogation portion of this meal, "Are you in school right now?"

"Uh, no," Sid replied, his mind spinning trying to figure out how to spin this. "I didn't really have the funds to go to college, so I've just been working, saving up, focusing a lot of my attention on my music."

"Oh? Music? What do you play?" she probed further.

"Bass guitar," Sid answered. "Though I dabble in a few others."

"Good for you," she said with a nod. "I think playing an instrument is such a good skill to have. I know I used to love playing the piano."

"That's her not so subtle way of saying she's still disappointed that I gave up on the flute," Molly added.

"Molly, I'm not disappointed. I just think it'd have been a great outlet for you now that you're starting high school," Andy's mom said. "The marching band kids always look like they're having so much fun out there."

"With their greasy hair and zitty faces," Molly added under her breath.

Sid had to smile at that. Some things never change, apparently. He used to give the marching band kids Hell back in high school. He always thought he was so much cooler than them. After all, death metal was so much more respectable than school sanctioned music.

Dinner continued on without a hitch. Sid made sure to always answer any questions with the best sounding version of the truth. Andy's mom and Molly seemed to like him, and even Sid had to admit that he kind of had a good time. It was just nice to feel like he was a part of something, even if it was just as a guest. After dinner was through, Andy walked Sid back out to his car.

"So, Mirrorverse Sid, what happened to my real boyfriend?" Andy asked once they were out of earshot of his mom.

"Oh come on," Sid said.

"All joking aside, thank you for tonight," Andy said. "It means a lot that you did this for me even though I know you didn't want to."

"Yeah, well, you're welcome," Sid replied. "It wasn't an entirely horrible experience."

"I'm glad it wasn't," Andy said with a smile. "Though, you really didn't have to change so much. I like you for who you are, Sid. You could've just showed up with long hair and a t-shirt."

"Yeah, well, I wanted to make a good impression with your mom," Sid shrugged it off though, admittedly, he felt a huge weight come off his shoulders at that.

"And I'm glad you did," Andy replied. "Not because she wouldn't have liked you either way, but because... I dunno, because it makes me feel kinda special that you did all of this just for me."

Well shit. And now Andy was doing that adorable thing with his eyes again. It just wasn't really fair how much power those damn eyes had over him. Sid leaned in for a kiss, and this time he actually had the chance to enjoy it. This moment was worth every bit of the day's anxieties to him.

"Although," Andy as said he broke away from the kiss, "I still miss the floof."


	4. Torn from the Tapestry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait on this one, but we're finally good to go. Cruella De Vil is courtesy of the live action 101 Dalmatians and 102 Dalmatians movies. Merida and Clan DunBroch are from Brave.

Andy flopped down on the couch and turned on the television to kill time while he waited. He glanced at his phone. 11:45. He had about fifteen minutes before Sid was supposed to be there to pick him up. After flipping through channels, Andy finally landed on Dr. Glenn. This particular episode had been all the buzz on social media ever since the controversial guest star was announced.

"And you reverted to your old ways after being given a second chance," Dr. Glenn said to his interviewee.

"I don't believe 'second chance' was quite the right word for it," the interviewee, the infamous fashion designer turned dognapper Cruella De Vil, replied.

Andy didn't really have strong opinions about Cruella. Of course he was appalled by the dognapping, but Andy liked to see the best in people. There were always two sides to a given story. Most people wrote off Sid based on his job and his "fuck the man" persona, and that meant they never had the chance to see the wonderful person behind all of that. Maybe it was the same for Cruella.

"No?" Glenn asked.

"No," Cruella confirmed. "Dr. Pavlov, the criminal psychiatrist who cleared my release, used an untested and faulty form of hypnotherapy that resulted in my suffering a mental break. It was an unethical practice by the British prison system for which I was granted a sizeable settlement as recompense."

"And you truly believe you owe no accountability for the dognapping?" Glenn questioned further.

"Well, if you'll pardon the pun, darling, things just aren't that black and white," Cruella replied. "And I detail all of that and more in my new book _The De Vil You Know, the De Vil You Don't_."

"How can you stand to watch that woman?" Molly asked, pulling Andy's attention away from the TV. "She kills _puppies_!"

"Maybe she just had a tough childhood?" Andy posited, switching off the TV.

"Hey, our childhood wasn't exactly super and we didn't turn into psychopaths," Molly replied.

"Well," Andy replied, "at least _I_ haven't. You? Not so sure."

That earned him a pillow chucked at his head.

"You waiting on Sid?" Molly asked.

"Yeah, we're going to the Andrews-Chapman Museum downtown," Andy replied. "There's a really cool exhibit on medieval Scotland there. You wanna come?"

"Oh that sounds like _soooo_ much fun," Molly said sarcastically. "Y'know what sounds like more fun? Literally anything else."

Andy rolled his eyes as Molly proceeded upstairs with her nose buried in her phone. He contemplated turning the TV back over to the rest of the interview, but the doorbell rang, signifying that Andy's chariot awaited.

* * *

The museum wasn't very crowded. Apparently the extra publicity just wasn't enough to get the masses interested in Scottish history. Andy didn't mind though. That just meant he and Sid could go through the exhibits at their own pace without being pushed out of the way by over eager museum-goers. The exhibit centered around artifacts pertaining to Clan DunBroch.

"They really had a thing for plaid, didn't they?" Sid asked, examining the surviving kilts on display.

"Technically it's tartan," Andy explained. "Plaid's the American term. In Scotland, 'plaid' is actually the cloth slung over the shoulder."

"Look at you, Professor Davis," Sid said with a playful nudge.

"Oh look!" Andy said, pulling Sid over to another display case. "This was believed to have been a bow used by Queen Merida herself. According to surviving records, she was a trailblazer who stood up for her right to choose her own path instead of being married off to any of her suitors."

Andy looked over to Sid who seem to just be staring at him with a stupid adorable look on his face.

"What?" Andy asked.

"I love that look in your eye when you get passionate about something," Sid answered.

Andy couldn't help but blush and smile a bit at that. He was always kind of afraid to show off his intelligence. Being both gay and a "nerd" made him a prime target for being picked on. As a result, Andy tried very hard to get both targets off his back. He became guarded about who he shared his grades or passions with. Andy tried to be a sporty guy throughout school, playing soccer and baseball, but it was never a very good fit for him. His intelligence was what really made him feel special, and hearing someone besides his mother admire his passion for learning was the best feeling in the world for Andy.

The boys made their way through the exhibit over to where a large tapestry was displayed depicting a king, a queen, a teenage daughter, and three young sons. The tapestry looked as though it had been cut at point, severing the mother from the rest of the family, but then sewn back together at a later time.

"It says, 'This tapestry was believed to have been hand stitched by Queen Elinor I," Andy read, "It was sliced by a sword in what apears to have been a symbollic gesture of severing Queen Elinor from the rest of the family. The thread used to repair the tapestry dates from around the same time, indicating that it may have been damaged and repaired within the same year it was woven.'"

Andy could feel his voice falter a bit as he read the description, and he hoped Sid didn't notice. Looking at the once torn tapestry and reading about severing the queen from the rest of the family brought up more than a few memories that Andy wasn't exactly in the mood to face. If the tapestry was repaired, Andy figured that had to mean that their family got back together in the end. In that respect, he envied the long dead Queen Merida. After all, there would be no repairing Andy's own tapestry any time soon.

* * *

Andy hadn't touched his ice cream, and it was starting to melt. He didn't pay it any mind, though. As much as Andy wanted to shake it from his mind, the tapestry from the museum kept lingering like a mosquito buzzing around his head that he just couldn't swat away. Andy liked to consider himself pretty well adjusted to his dad leaving, but some days the memories just hit harder than others. There was just so much Andy wished he could say, but he never had gotten the chance.

"Don't you like your ice cream?" Sid asked, having already inhaled his.

"No, no, I'm just... not hungry," Andy replied.

Andy flashed Sid a fake smile, but Sid just stared at him as if he could see right through that. Andy could tell that Sid knew something was bothering him. Though, knowing Sid, there was a good chance that he'd worry that he was the cause of Andy's mood if he didn't get any indication otherwise. That was last thing Andy wanted. It would probably just be easier to vent, and Andy could definitely stand to get a few things off his chest.

"I'm just a little down today is all," Andy explained. "That tapestry at the museum just brought up a bad memory that I'd been keeping down."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Sid asked. "It's fine if you don't."

"Kinda," Andy said, pausing for a minute. "My dad left pretty soon after my mom had Molly. But they fought all the time before that. I'd just be lying in my bed terrified hearing screaming coming from down the hall and just praying it would stop. I guess God heard me or whatever because it finally did stop the day he left. He popped back in a couple of times later on, but only for short, really uncomfortable visits where he was asking my mom for money. And like... I know sometimes dads just leave like that, and I've had a good life despite everything, but..."

"But sometimes all that crap bubbles up and makes you sick all over again," Sid said, articulating what Andy didn't really know how to express.

"Yeah, exactly," Andy sighed. "I mean, I guess I should be kind of grateful. He was addicted to gambling and was kind of an asshole to everyone, so I probably wouldn't have liked him in my life very much anyway."

"I won't say you're lucky because that's not fair," Sid said, "but there are definitely days where I wish my dad had just fucking left."

Despite having lived next door, Andy never actually met Sid's dad. Andy remembered his mom occasionally talking to Sid's stepmom, but Sid's dad was someone who everyone seemed to go out of their way to avoid. Or maybe it was the other way around and Sid's dad was the one who avoided everyone else. Andy didn't know, and it seemed like a sensitive topic to bring up.

"Do you want to talk about your dad?" Andy asked.

"Nope," Sid answered. "Nothing to talk about. He's a drunk and an old bastard. I'm counting the days until I have enough saved up to get the Hell away from him."

Andy counted his blessings that for all of the hurt surrounding his own father, he'd always had his mother and sister. He'd always had someplace nice and safe to go home to. It hadn't ever really occurred to Andy that Sid didn't have that luxury. On some level, Andy wanted to swoop in and be a hero and give Sid a better place to stay, but Andy also knew that there was no way in Hell Sid would ever go along with that. It wasn't like Andy was really in a position to offer that kind of support either. That didn't make the feelings of powerlessness any easier.

"But, y'know what?" Sid said after a pause. "Everything's supposed to happen for a reason, right? I'm me _because_ my dad was a shithead. Going through everything I've gone through has made me stronger, and I like who I am."

Andy couldn't help but smile at that. "For someone who seems pissed off at the world a good seventy-five percent of the time, you're surprisingly optimistic."

Sid laughed to himself. "Yeah, well, looking at garbage every day has a way of putting life into perspective."


	5. Deal With the De Vil

Waiting in line always made Sid antsy. He was dying for his headphones right now, but Andy hadn't let him bring them. Something about not wanting Sid rocking out to make a scene. Whatever. It's not like the silent judgment of all of these people would have mattered all that much, and it would have been a welcome diversion from the still monotony of the wait. When Andy said he wanted to go to a book signing, Sid assumed that it'd just be a quick hello, a signature, and they'd be out of there in a few minutes. He wasn't expecting being over twenty people deep in a line when the author of honor hadn't even graced them with her presence yet.

Sid honestly had no idea why Andy even cared enough to go to this one. If it was to see a comicbook writer or sci-fi novelist, then it'd have made more sense. But for Cruella De Vil of all people? That was decidedly outside of Andy's usual interests. Sid didn't really follow the Cruella controversy all that closely. He and Andy both were just kids when she was arrested for dognapping. All most people knew about her was that she was the lady who tried to kill almost a hundred puppies.

As far as Sid was concerned, the whole Cruella scandal was just another excuse for bored suburbanites to have righteous moral outrage. Though it was amusing how that same outrage gave Cruella a constant stream of free publicity to promote her book and her various fashion lines. Every time someone called her the devil, she made money. Sid almost had to admire that. If only he could generate that kind of media attention, then he could finally afford his own place.

"You know, when I was a kid," Andy said, leaning in so that only Sid could hear, "I used to have a dalmatian video game, and, apparently, it was designed by the guy whose puppies were dognapped by Cruella. But what's even funnier is that the villain in the game was based on Cruella and looked just like her. I remember rolling barrels of dynamite at her car all the time."

"Okay, I get it now," Sid said. "We're meeting one of your childhood favorite villains in person. I should have known. Good thing Zurg's not in town too."

Andy gave Sid a playful nudge. "I'm also really interested in the book. Apparently it really opens up about her struggles with mental illness, and we definitely need more voices out there sharing their experiences."

"I'm not sure she's such a great spokeswoman, though," Sid said.

Before Andy had a chance to argue, Cruella De Vil made her grand entrance. Dressed in a black and white ensemble with killer shoulder pads, a fur stole, and towering high heels, Sid knew right away exactly why the House of De Vil's fashions were such a hit with drag queens. Everyone's eyes were on Cruella, but something in the corner of his eye took his attention away.

A man was pushing roughly through the crowd, carrying some kind of bucket. He seemed to be darting straight for Cruella. Sid, thinking quickly, dashed out of line, and pushed Cruella out of the way just in time to prevent her from being splashed with black paint.

Sid could feel the weight of wet paint clinging to half of his body as he tried to regain his balance. Security guards immediately restrained the assailant and whisked Cruella out of the room. Sid glanced over to Andy who looked utterly confused. Sid just gave him a shrug. Well, at least they weren't waiting in line any more.

* * *

"This paint's not going to wash out," Andy said, scrubbing at the spotches with paper towels.

"I kind of like it," Sid replied. "It gives it kind of a... 'the man is trying to paint over our art but we won't be silenced' kind of vibe to it."

He was wearing one of his Magnausea t-shirts with their creepy baby head spider logo on it. With the black paint, it looked as if the spider was trying desperately to crawl away from being consumed by the darkness.

"I am so sorry about that, gentlemen," the bookstore's manager said as he walked over to them. "Our security clearly wasn't prepared for such a large turn out. Please, allow us to give you store credit to make up for it."

"Sure, yeah, that'd be great," Sid said.

Sid wasn't much of a reader, but Andy was. He knew he'd get good use out of the credit buying gifts.

"Also," the manager began, "there's someone else who wanted to thank you personally."

Sid looked behind him to see none other than Cruella De Vil herself walking over.

"Oh darling!" she declared melodramatically. "I cannot thank you enough for rescuing me from that horrid man!"

"It's no big," Sid shrugged. "It wouldn't have killed you or anything."

"No, _worse!_ It would have ruined one of my best furs!" Cruella said as she lit a cigarette.  


"Um, Ms. De Vil," the manager stuttered. "There's no smoking in this building."

Cruella blew a cloud of smoke directly into the manager's face, prompting him to have a coughing fit.

"Yes, well, there was to be no paint throwing in this building either, but it looks like neither of those rules are going to be followed," she hissed befrore turning back to Sid. "Tell me, darling, what's your name?"

"I'm Sid," he stated, "and this is my boyfriend Andy."

"Pleased to meet you," Andy said, extending a hand for Cruella to shake.

"Naturally," she chuckled, ignoring Andy's hand. "Tell me, Sid, darling, what is that shirt of yours?"

"Hmm? Oh! It's my band's logo," Sid said. "I designed it myself."

Cruella's face seemed to light up. "Oh! An artist! I've always had something a soft _spot_ for artists."

"Y'know, I'm actually trying to become a writer," Andy interjected.

"How fascinating," Cruella replied in a disinterested tone before immediately perking back up talking to Sid. " _You_ clearly have unique vision and perspective. I'm always looking for young talent."

Sid could hardly believe his ears. His art always got scowls and looks of distaste from pretty much everyone. He'd always kind of accepted that other people just didn't get it. Yet here was this lady known world wide for her artistic vision who seemed to have a genuine interest in him. That was just fucking unheard of. Sure, she was probably a psychopath, but she knew art and, more importantly, she _got it_. Cruella undid the latch on her purse that looked like a dead skunk and pulled out a business card.

"If you're ever looking to take your art to the next level," Cruella said as she handed the card to Sid, "give me a call."

"Yeah, I mean, yes, totally!" Sid said, trying to sound cool and failing.

"I hope to hear from you soon! Cheerio, darling!" she said as she sashayed away.

Sid just stared at the card. Cruella De Fucking Vil was interested in him. Well that wasn't exactly on the list of things Sid would ever think would happen in a million years.

* * *

A couple days went by, and Sid barely had time to think about Cruella. Between work, rehearsals, and Andy, Sid kept himself pretty busy. But one evening, after Sid was off work, his dad was in that stage of the night where he was several drinks in but hadn't yet passed out in front of the television. Sid knew very well from experience that that was the time to stay as far away from home as possible if he didn't want to accumulate any more scars. Andy was at his evening class at the local community college and the rest of the band was busy, so Sid was just camping out in his car at the Dinoco station down the road.

Sid felt his stomach growling, so he opened his wallet to see how much cash he had on him. Forty-seven cents stared back at him. Wonderful. Sid groaned to himself. He didn't even have enough on him to get a goddamn burger. How the Hell was he ever going to get enough money to move away from his dad? Just as Sid started to sink into complete angst mode, Cruella's card sitting in his wallet caught his eye. If nothing else, maybe following up with her would be a welcome distraction from the evening's dismal turn.

"Hello?" Cruella answered right away.

"Hey, Cruella, it's Sid," he said. "I'm the guy from-"

"SID! DARLING!" Cruella shouted so loudly that Sid almost dropped his phone. "I've been waiting to hear from you! A few friends of mine and I are doing the town tonight. Oh _do_ come join us!"

"Uh, sure, yeah, sounds fun," Sid said, figuring that he didn't have anything better to do.

"Smashing!" she declared. "Meet us at Stanton's in half an hour."

It took closer to forty-five minutes to get there because of dumbasses who don't know how to drive, but Sid eventually arrived at Stanton's. Once he got inside, it wasn't hard to find Cruella. Somehow she just made the entire room feel like it revolved around her. The fact that it seemed like she was wearing five dead peacocks certainly helped.

Sid was suddenly feeling very underdressed and very out of place when he started looking over Cruella's collection of "friends." Her entire entourage seemed to be a collection of the most ridiculously dressed people over forty he'd ever seen, and that was including the middle aged leather clad patrons of the various clubs his band had played in.

"Sid! Darling!" Cruella declared when she spotted him.

Cruella immediately hopped up from her seat and dashed over to him. She took him by the arm and escorted him over to the table.

"I'm so glad you could make it!" Cruella declared. "Come, come, sit with us!"

Cruella never bothered to introduce Sid to any of her friends, and they didn't seem to give Sid a second gance the entire evening. Still, it was hard to feel bored or ignored with Cruella De Vil sitting next to you. She was practically a one-woman variety show, and Sid had front row seats. It wasn't long before any thoughts of crap from earlier were completely pushed out of his mind.

"So, Sid, tell me," Cruella said as she lit a new cigarette, "what drives your art?"

Sid paused for a minute. He hadn't expected to be hit with such a direct and piercing question. He knew the answer almost instantly, but he wasn't sure if it was something he should share with Cruella. However, after a bit more deliberation, Sid realized that he couldn't come up with an alternative answer that was authentic, and he refused to be inauthentic.

"I, uh, came from a fucked up situation that kinda fucked me up," Sid answered. "Mom died when I was a kid, dad became a raging alcoholic, revolving door of step-moms and step-siblings who never gave a fuck about me. I was hurt and pissed, and so I poured that all into my music."

"All the great artists pull from misery to make beauty," Cruella replied. "I knew from the moment I saw you that you were just like me. Someone ripped apart by the world, misunderstood, trampled over. Someone who turned their pain into glorious vision."

"Yeah, well, I'm just a nobody," Sid replied.

"For now, but all you need is the right benefactor," Cruella said. "I know you have what it takes to dazzle the teeming masses with your exceptionalism. I can open many doors for you. Please, let me help you."

Looking at Cruella's outstretched hand, a little voice in the back of his head reminded Sid that this was the same woman who everyone called the devil. So, by that logic, signing on with her was a deal with the devil. Still, Sid thought back to his dad, his meager successes, and crappy job picking up the trash of people he despised on principle. If she could get him out of that hole, he was happy to ante up his soul.

"I'm in," Sid said, shaking her hand.

Cruella let out a brief chuckle. "Darling, you've just made the best decision of your life."


	6. The De Vil's Dues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally I alternate between the boys' PoVs each chapter, but this part of the story is so Sid focused that there needed to be two consecutive Sid chapters. If all goes the way I think it's going to, the next two will both be Andy's PoV to balance things out.

Sid slid the key into the door, but paused before turning it.

"Drum roll, please!" Sid said.

Andy rolled his eyes when he realized that Sid was actually waiting for a drum roll. "Come on, Sid."

"Nope, gotta drum roll," he insisted.

Andy relented and did the best he could on his thighs.

"That's pitiful, Andy," Sid laughed and shook his head.

"Just open the door," Andy said. "I want to see it."

Sid dramatically opened the door while singing the guitar part to some epic rock song to punctuate the reveal. Sid's new apartment wasn't anything that fancy, but it was the first place he'd ever lived that didn't reek of old booze and years of regrets. It was a clean, new, fresh start, and Sid knew it was a fucking long time coming.

"Wow, the new place looks great!" Andy said.

"Yeah, and the location is great," Sid said. "I'm in the city, but I'm still less than twenty minutes from your place. And it's-"

"And it's right across the street from Al's Toy Barn," Andy said, looking out the window. "That's ironic for you."

"Yeah, well, as long as the creepy toys stay on their side of the street and I stay on mine, we're gonna be good," Sid replied.

Sid had a nightmare years ago about toys coming alive to take revenge on him for blowing them up with fireworks. It was so vivid, and he was so lucid during it that it had always stuck with him. Toys, especially toys with eyes, just kind of freaked him out.

"The toys couldn't cross the street," Andy joked. "They'd get squashed flat."

"They'd find a way," Sid replied. "Those things are fucking smart."

"Well, it's a great place, and I'm thrilled for you," Andy said with a smile. "Though are you sure you can afford it? The rent here can't be cheap."

"No, it's gonna be fine," Sid explained. "Cruella co-signed the lease for me. But she's gonna get me enough gigs to where it's not gonna be any trouble."

Andy's face seemed to lose a bit of enthusiasm. He was obviously trying not to show his disapproval, but Sid could read Andy like a book. What the Hell did Andy want from him anyway? To not take advantage of a great opportunity that also happened to get him away from his dad?

"You're putting a lot of faith in Cruella," Andy said.

"Yeah, well, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me," Sid said defensively.

Sid knew as soon as he said it how hurtful that probably was to Andy. He didn't mean it that way, but he couldn't take it back now. Andy was very obviously frustrated now. His entire tone and body language had shifted.

"Look, Sid, I'm sorry, but rich old ladies don't just throw money at people without wanting something in return," Andy said, trying to keep his voice even but failing. "I don't want to see you get away from your dad by walking into debt with someone who might be worse."

"Gee, thanks for your concern," Sid replied sarcastically, "but I think I can handle myself. And Cruella isn't worse than my dad. She's like me. She _gets_ it."

Sid was starting to get pissed now. He didn't need Andy to run his life, and he sure as Hell didn't need his own boyfriend talking trash about the only other person who's ever taken any interest in him.

"Gets _what_ , Sid?" Andy asked, his vocal cadence not hiding his exasperation. "What does she get that I don't get? Is it just because she has money to throw at you?"

"Oh, okay, yeah, _now_ I get what this is about," Sid said. "You're threatened because I'm finally having good things start to happen to me, and you like it better when I'm the fucked up garbage man who makes you feel better about yourself."

Andy's mouth hung open for a second before responding. "Where the Hell did that come from? Do you honestly think so little of me?"

Sid didn't know what the fuck he actually believed. On some level, he knew that wasn't true, that Andy wasn't that type of person. Yet a little voice in the back of his head kept repeating it over and over. He couldn't stop it. And the more it kept repeating, the more he believed it.

"I mean, that's what this has all been about, right?" Sid asked. "You don't really care about me. Your college shit got fucked up, so you grabbed the nearest person who was fucked up more than you so that you could get a free pick-me-up."

The hurt on Andy's face told Sid that he'd gone too far. Andy just shook his head.

"Goodbye, Sid," Andy said, trying to choke back the strain in his voice.

Sid couldn't watch as Andy walked out the door. The door shut not with a slam but with a gentle click. Sid almost wished Andy had just yelled at him. The quiet whimper that everything went out on made it sting so much worse. Sid knew if he let himself feel sad, he'd break down, and there was no fucking way he was letting himself get that vulnerable. Instead, he doubled down and let himself just get pissed at Andy.

Being mad was the only way he could shield himself from the hurt.

* * *

Sid was setting up his sound equipment in the main atrium of the Andrews-Chapman Museum that he and Andy visited a couple months ago. The museum was hosting a black tie gala to woo wealthy donors and show off the Devil's Eye diamond that they got on loan. Cruella managed to get Sid the honor of providing the entertainment. Hoity-toity rich folks weren't exactly Sid's target audience for his music, but the gig paid much better than any of the local bars and Sid knew how to play some mellow and classical music that snooty people liked. Sure, it felt kind of dirty as far as artistic integrity went, but Sid picked up trash for the past two years, so feeling dirty wasn't really a deterrent.

Sid felt his phone buzzing. He looked and saw Andy's face pop up. Sid clicked ignore and shoved the phone back into his pocket. The last thing he needed right now was more of Andy's self-righteous judgment getting in his head.

"Girlfriend troubles?" Jasper asked.

Jasper and his brother Horace were two of Cruella's employees. Sid wasn't exactly sure what their official job descriptions were. They seemed to just do whatever odd jobs Cruella told them to do. Today the two brothers were helping Sid get ready for the gig. Cruella herself was in Milwaukee continuing her book tour, but she'd left her associates to make sure Sid was taken care of.

"Boyfriend troubles, actually," Sid replied.

"Yeah, not worth the fuss," Jasper said as he fiddled with an amp. "My ex-wife just sits on her fat ass and collects my alimony checks every month. Better off alone, mate."

"Well I for one am very thankful for my wife Molly," Horace interjected.

"Molly has you pistol-whipped, Horace," Jasper responded with disgust before turning back to the amp.

Sid kept telling himself that Jasper was right: he was better off alone. However, Sid knew all too well that he wanted nothing more right now than to call Andy to talk about his gig. Pride and residual hurt feelings stood in the way that. Sid tried to shake it from his mind.

In a little over an hour the gala was well underway, and Sid was getting into the music. The guests seemed to be enjoying him, and a few of them even took to putting in requests. Most of the crowd was mingling and drinking champagne, but one woman in the crowd caught Sid's eye. She was blonde and wore a black silk dress and a rather large brimmed hat with feathers on top. The longer Sid looked at her face, the more clear her identity became: it was Cruella. She put a single finger to her lips to indicate that Sid shouldn't draw attention to his discovery.

It was strange her being here and not on her book tour and wearing a blonde wig to hide her identity to boot. It didn't sit right with Sid. Why would she show up here without telling him? While pondering this, Sid lost sight of her in the crowd. Come to think of it, he'd lost sight of Horace and Jasper too. Sid shook all of that from his head. It was unimportant, and his job was the music right now. He couldn't blow his first high paying gig by getting distracted.

Sid continued to play, and eventually, one by one, Cruella, Horace, and Jasper turned back up on his radar. The museum curator took to the microphone after a while.

"I want to thank all of you for coming tonight. Before we move onto the matter at hand, has anyone lost a large rubber band full of hundred dollar bills? Because we found the rubber band."

Obligatory laughter came from the crowd. Sid just rolled his eyes at the old joke and checked his phone. Two more missed calls from Andy. Sid scowled at them and put away his phone. It was like Andy had a psychic sense about Sid's suspicions about Cruella earlier. He was probably calling to gloat. Sid put it out of mind. Cruella was fine. There was nothing to worry about. Andy's accusations were just getting to Sid because he was feeling fragile. That was it.

"Starting tonight and for the next two months," the museum curator continued. "On loan to our museum is the infamous _Devil's Eye diamond_."

Two security guards wheeled in glass case containing the largest diamond Sid had ever seen. It was the size of an ostrich egg, and it shimmered magenta. Sid could hardly take his eyes off it, but quick glance at one of the security guards made Sid feel even more unsettled. One of them, Sid was sure, was one of Cruella's entourage he'd seen at Stanton's a few weeks ago. This couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

"In the 1600s, the pirate Captain Kidd stole the Devil's Eye and buried it in the Florida Everglades. It was recovered in 1977 by an orphan girl named Penny."

The curator went into details about the Devil's Eye as it was transitioned from the rolling case into a more solid display case in the center of the area. Sid was too distracted to pay attention. He kept anxiously waiting for something insidious to happen, but it never did. The paranoia was just Andy's words getting to him. That's all. Fuck Andy. Andy was wrong.

The curator eventually finished his spiel and thanked everyone from coming out. The guests all dispersed slowly but surely as Sid continued to provide mood music for the party. Eventually only a few stranglers remained, and so Horace and Jasper went to work helping to dismantle the set.

"Really great work," the curator said, giving Sid a pat on the back. "Money'll go through your agent."

"Thanks man," Sid smiled.

There was nothing to worry about. The night had gone off without a hitch. He played well, the crowd enjoyed him, and he was walking away with a pretty penny. Everything else was just anxiety and self-doubt getting the better of him. All in all, it had been a good night.

* * *

Sid, Horace, and Jasper pulled up to the vacant office building that Cruella kept to use as storage for her various enterprises in town. Sid was still convinced he'd seen her in the crowd tonight, but she never approached him once throughout the evening so maybe it _was_ just some lady who looked like her. The three men started hauling equipment into the building when the sound of tires screeching outside drew their attention to the new arrival.

"Darlings, smashing work tonight!" Cruella said as she strutted into the building, still wearing her blonde wig. "Sid, your music was fabulous! I got goose bumps just listening to it!"

"I thought that was you," Sid said. "But I thought you were in Milwaukee tonight."

"Don't believe everything you hear," she said, discarding the wig and letting loose her black and white hair. "Did you two imbeciles manage to get it?"

"Huh?" Sid asked.

"Affirmative, Ms. De Vil," Jasper said, picking up an amp and laying it out on a table.

Jasper started using a screwdriver to pry off the grill cloth and cover of the amp. "With the forgery we left in its place, they won't realize it's gone until they examine it before transferring it to the next museum. By that point, we won't even be suspects."

Cruella covered her eyes in anticipation as a brilliant and powerful pink glisten spread over the room. Sid could feel himself getting sick when he realized what was going on. Cruella uncovered her eyes to see the real Devil's Eye diamond sitting right in front of her.

"How marvelous!" Cruella declared, taking the diamond into her hands. "The Devil's Eye! Filled with power and beauty beyond imagination! Eat your heart out, Madame Medusa."

Cruella cackled wickedly in elation.

"No," Sid managed to say. "No, this... this isn't... right."

Cruella scowled. "Darling, don't tell me you're about to get sanctimonious with me. You're a man of vision and talent. Don't squander it with cheap morals that keep you from taking what you want."

"Andy was right," Sid mumbled, suddenly feeling very stupid for not believing him. "You _are_ worse than my dad."

"Disappointing," Cruella said, lighting a new cigarette. "Well, have it your way then: our association is terminated. Horace. Jasper. Load the diamond into my car."

Jasper replaced the grill cloth and the two men proceeded to do as they were told. Cruella blew a stream of smoke directly into Sid's face. He coughed and wheezed and his eyes watered at the sensation.

"And don't even think about trying to play the hero," Cruella said. "Technically, you _are_ an accessory to the crime, and you don't exactly have the money to put up the legal defense that I do. Besides, if you do talk, things could get rather ugly for you... and for that Andy boyfriend of yours."

Sid's stomach someone managed to sink even lower. His hands were thoroughly tied here. Cruella won, and there wasn't one fucking thing he could do about it.

"Cheerio, darling!" Cruella cackled as she exited the office, leaving Sid standing there, partially in shock over what had just transpired.

* * *

The walk up the driveway to Andy's front door was excruciating, almost like a penance walk. Sid knew he'd fucked up royally, and he couldn't let the only thing that was genuinely good for him slip away now. After everything, it didn't feel right just calling Andy's cell phone. Sid even took the liberty of buying Andy flowers to make up for it. Sid read online that yellow roses were good for saying sorry, so he hoped these would do.

Sid could feel his palms getting soaked as he rang the doorbell. If he thought he was nervous the first time he'd rung Andy's doorbell, that time had nothing on this. Sid suddenly was very aware that he had no idea what the fuck to say. _"Hey, you were right, Cruella's a sociopath who used me as an accessory to grand larceny. Sorry I was mean."_ Right. Because that'd go over _so_ well.

The door began to open, and Sid could feel his breath leave his chest but all feelings of nervousness quickly turned to confusion when it wasn't Andy who opened the door. It wasn't Andy's mom or Molly either. Instead, it was a man who looked like an older, slightly heavier version of Andy. The man squinted at Sid suspiciously.

"You're way too old for Molly," the man said. "So I'm gonna give you about ten seconds to rethink things."

"What? No!" Sid said. "I'm not here for Molly. I'm here to see Andy."

Confusion washed over the man's face. "Who _are_ you?"

"I'm Sid, I'm... a friend of Andy's," he replied, careful of the fact that this man might not know that Andy was gay. "I'm sorry, but who are _you_?"

The man looked Sid over from head to toe suspiciously.

"I'm Andy's father."


End file.
